Chillicothe (Friday, March 7, 2014) – First Street in downtown Ironton is scheduled to reopen next week after its closure as part of the Ironton-Russell Bridge replacement project.

Contractors for the Ohio Department of Transportation are imparting closures of First Street and Campbell Avenue in downtown Ironton in order to erect girders for the Ohio approach. The crews are toggling the closures as they move from site to site.

Currently, First Street is set to reopen Monday, March 10, and Campbell Avenue will be closed. This closure is anticipated to be in effect for two weeks; however, progression of this phase of the project is contingent upon the weather. While either street is closed, motorists will be detoured locally in downtown.

Brayman Construction Corporation of Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, was awarded a contract for approximately $81.3 million to build a new Ohio River crossing between Ironton, Ohio, and Russell, Kentucky.

Ohio’s highways are essential to keeping and creating new jobs. With a mission to provide easy movement of people and goods from place to place, ODOT is responsible for maintaining one of the largest transportation networks in the nation. Guided by ethical principles and accountability, ODOT works to improve safety, enhance travel and advance economic development. As a $2.8 billion enterprise, the department wisely invests in its core services of snow and ice removal, annual construction program and highway maintenance operations.